Oxford professor Dennis Shaw 'killed by asbestos in Bodleian Libraries' – The Times

A 93-year-ancient Oxford professor who died of lung cancer may have contracted the illness from asbestos in the university’s Bodleian Libraries where he was Keeper of the Books, an inquest heard.

Dennis Shaw wrote a private statement to his family as he was dying, detailing where he had worked and could have inhaled the asbestos.

The coroner heard that he specifically mentioned the Bodleian, which underwent a refurbishment in the 1970s, and where he may have breathed in the asbestos fibres that contributed to his death in July this year.

Dr Shaw, whose work at Oxford as organising secretary for science admissions was commended by the Queen, had been Keeper of Scientific Books from 1976 until he retired in 1991.